


Drowning in Sorrow

by Lily_Winchester



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-09-22 21:18:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17067305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lily_Winchester/pseuds/Lily_Winchester
Summary: Percy is clinging onto life, though Annabeth fears this might be the end.





	1. Chapter 1

**Just a quick authors' note before we begin. I wanted to just remind all you readers that this is my  _first_ time writing a PJO fic of any kind. As you can guess, this kind of stuff is all new to me - except for the concept of the books, as I have read them! - so this fic may be a bit shaky in plot at first. 

 

Now, without further interruption from me, enjoy the fic!

 

\- Lily**

 

 

I lounged on my bunk in cabin 3, my eyes closed as I decompressed the events from today. In one heavy sigh, I managed to alert my girlfriend, Annabeth Chase, who was laying next to me. She wrapped her arms around me. "Perce, we'll be fine. Gaea can't hurt us. She's. . . she's just trying to get under your skin and make you fear her. Don't give her what she wants." Annabeth stared straight into my eyes, her piercing gray orbs holding confidence and unspoken fear. Not fear of me or Gaea. More of fear. . . of something the two of us had avoided for awhile. 

 

The first few months of "dating" had consisted of me being kidnapped, getting amnesia, going missing for 8 months, and returning with an unheard of camp that was made solely of Romans. It was a rocky start to say the least, and we both knew it was the elephant in the room. What if this didn't work out and they had walked through hell together for nothing? If all the months of stress were in vain? It was a constant reminder of how lucky we were to have made it this far. But now that we've made it, what do we do? It's not like we'll ever get that time back. I know that Annabeth still resents Calypso, too. Things with me and Calypso the former sorceress have been awkward, too. She and Leo got together and now neither of us knows what to do. Do we approach the other? Do we avoid each other? 

 

In all, my life is just more complicated.  ~~Oh, and Jason's dating a brick that hit him in the head and almost caused him to die because the fandom is weird and we ship people with objects. Jason/Brick for life.~~  Between jealous girlfriends, secret admirers, and constant near-death experiences, I think I'm going to start getting gray hair before my time. I mean, I did have a strand of gray hair after I held up the sky, but that's another story. That time was for a good cause. 

 

"How do we know that Gaea wasn't telling the truth? That the whole world rests on  _my_ shoulders. That my choices won't cause her to rise again? I mean, I was the reason she rose in the first place. With a stupid bloody nose, too. And I pulled a stupid move and got myself-" I stopped, trying to breathe and then realized I couldn't. I gagged, knowing by the look on Annabeth's face that I was turning purple.  _Stupid blood of Tartarus. Stupid Gaea._ I thought miserably, the memories of last month's battle still clear in my mind. 

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*  **Flashback** *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

_"Why, hello, Perseus Jackson." Gaea's cold voice lingered in my mind as I slowly turned to look at her. I wiped blood off my chin and stared at her, waiting for her to say more. "Beloved protector of Olympus, how I have waited to set my eyes on you. I would've preferred the son of Jupiter, but you'll have to do." Her eyes slowly opened, her dark green orbs full of calm anger. I gulped, closing my eyes with calm determination despite my internal panic._

_"Helping you is the last thing I'll be doing, dirt face!" I retorted, my messy black hair covering my left eye as I drew my sword, Riptide, turning it from a ballpoint pen into a celestial bronze weapon, accustomed to my grip. My green eyes showed my fury, resembling a sea on a stormy night._

_She just laughed, her eyes showing her fury. "But my dear demigod, you already have. After all, you are the reason I woke. I would've preferred it to have been a wound that was inflicted by a weapon, but a bloody nose did just as well. How sad it must've been, 'the hero of Olympus, helps the enemy with a_  nose bleed,'" _she mocked, causing my anger to grow. She laughed, unsheathing a knife that was pearly white with a black stygian grip. The blade did not even have a silver hue to it. It was pure white, which shocked me. I didn't think it was possible for a sword to be that color. Maybe she polished it until it was that way? Whatever the case, I could tell where this was headed._

 

_My grip on Riptide tightened, causing my knuckles to turn white. Battle ceased around us as the monsters were slowly diminished to one small handful of them. By then, they seemed to get more aware that the fight was down to just me and Gaea. "Percy!" I heard Annabeth's voice, filling me with more determination as adrenaline coursed through my veins. I turned to make eye contact with her, which may have been one of the dumbest things I've ever done. And believe me when I say, I've done a lot of stupid stuff. As I made eye contact with her storm gray eyes, I realized she had been trying to warn me. Not to get my attention for support. I screamed as a blade was shoved through my chest and out the other side. My heart. Gaea's white blade was coated in my blood as she stabbed my heart._

 

_I fell onto my knees, feeling like I was being stabbed by a thousand daggers. I kept screaming in pain until my throat felt like the Sahara desert. Distantly, I heard a shriek of pain from Gaea, yells of surprise from the rest of the monsters, and a person hovering over me. My eyes were glossy with tears of pain, so all I could see was blond princess curls before everything grew dark._

 

 _*~*~*~*~*~*~*_ **Flashback End** *~*~*~*~*~*~*

_Annabeth's POV_

 

I screamed for Chiron as loud as I could, hoping maybe Jason in cabin 1 or someone from cabin 4 would hear me. I gripped Percy's hand tightly, trying to assure him that he was alright. His panic would most definitely worsen his ability to breathe. His face was a shade of purple and black blood dripped from his mouth. I still could barely grip the fact that my warning had almost cost him his life in battle. I should've noticed that Gaea's blade was dipped in the blood of Tartarus. I must've been camp's best laughing joke.  _"The daughter of Athena who didn't notice her enemy's blade was one of the most deadliest weapons to demigods and gods alike."_

 

I let out another cry for help as Percy suddenly passed out. Of course, you may be thinking, " _Annabeth, why didn't you get him to the ocean? The water could heal him!_ " Water hadn't been doing its job because Percy was too weak to wield the power. And, of course, Tartarus' blood was un-curable. Even with Percy's own element. Wasting our time with the ocean would futile and may cost my boyfriend his life. It seemed my prayers were answered when a bright flash of light appeared in the cabin. 

 

For the fifth time this week - and it is still Monday, mind you - Apollo payed his hourly visit to Percy's cabin. He attached more IV's to Percy, giving him more morphine, and cleaning up Percy's wounds. He also held a breathing mask over my boyfriend's face, trying to force him to breathe. To our relief, Percy's lungs seemed to admit defeat and let the machine make Percy breathe. I felt like crying. 

 

"Annabeth, his whole body is on shut-down. There's no possible way to get his lungs moving again without a transplant. At this rate, it's too risky. If those lungs get infected again, we couldn't keep doing a transplant. The only way to save him, kiddo, is if we somehow disinfected him. Tartarus' blood has gotten too far to do that, though. I doubt there's a way to save him. Anymore morphine and he'll be on a drug-overdose. The only thing we can do is try to keep him alive. As much as I hate to admit it, there's nothing in my power to save him." Apollo shuffled uncomfortably, seeming like he wanted to say more to me. "Oh, and kiddo? I am sorry." The words sounded forced, as if he hadn't ever said those words in his whole life. 

 

At this point, I was crying. I couldn't believe that Percy,  _my_ Percy. The guy who fought Kronos, survived drinking gorgon's blood, fought a giant, jumped into Tartarus for me, and came out alive. That man who had survived so much was only going to live to be 18. It hurt. He survived so much, desperate to prove a point that he would keep living despite the gods' constant attempts to kill him. And now he was going to die because of Gaea. Stupid mother nature. 

 

"Does Poseidon know?" I managed feebly, trying not to think of the consequences of the sea god finding out that his only son was dying. Apollo sighed, the glow of his godly aura seemed weak. Maybe checking in on Percy wasn't the best idea. It must've been draining the god. "Of course he knows. He's very distraught, but if Zeus found out that Poseidon had grown this attached, it would be World War III on Olympus. I don't think Poseidon would really care, but he's trying to keep calm for Percy's sake. It's taking a lot out of him, but he's trying. I think we all are. The death of such a fine hero is devastating. I don't think we've ever owed so much to a half-blood." I stifled a sob, trying not to think about the things that would change when Percy left the living world. Normally Apollo was all about himself and making haikus. Now? He seemed more worried about Percy. That was a real thing to worry about. 

 

I fear that maybe, just maybe, this whole thing is coming to an end. An end of everything; including Percy. 


	2. Fighting for Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy is clinging onto life, though Annabeth fears this might be the end.

**Previously:**

 

_I fear that maybe, just maybe, this whole thing is coming to an end. An end of everything; including Percy._

**Now:**

 

**Percy's PoV**

 

It hurt. The pain was more intense than I could've thought. Is this how regular mortals feel when they're dying? Heartache for the ones they love, desperate to stay alive and keep fighting? It's weird, because I never thought about any of this until now. Vaguely, I was aware of people talking above me. And . . . was that crying? It was very feminine. "Annabeth?" I thought, trying to see her though my eyes refused to open. The crying ceased after I spoke. I think I got a response. Something along the lines of, "Percy? Are you awake?" 

 

Yes! I can tell it's Annabeth. But there's three other people with her. I can tell, because I hear three other voices. One was a deep, soothing voice. Dad, maybe? The other was more feminine. It calmed me. Mom? The other I recognized as Apollo, as I've heard his voice much too often during his visits. Slowly, my brain eased and my eyes shot open. I sat straight up and stared at everyone. All eyes were on me as I slowly too a deep breath. Wait. I wasn't taking a breath, air was being  _forced_ into my mouth. I started to cough and my mother shot straight up out of her chair and cradled my face in her hands. Her eyes were red with tears as she rubbed my back to try and ease my breathing. My dad was staring at me with broken eyes. "Mom? Dad?" I managed hoarsely, trying not to cry as my scratchy voice irritated my throat. 

 

"Shhh, dear, we're right here." Sally cooed softly at me, and I leaned into her and closed my eyes briefly. That's when I realized where I was. I was no longer in the Poseidon cabin at camp, but rather in my room at my mom's apartment. "Where's Paul?" I asked quietly. Something about mom changed. She stiffened and tears welled in her eyes. "Percy," she began slowly, glancing at Poseidon as if asking for help with explaining this. He nodded slowly at her, placing an arm around her waist for comfort. "Paul. . .well, he wasn't too pleased to know that your father was a Greek god. In all honesty? He thought it was strange and abnormal. He thought we were insane. He . . . he tried to put us in a mental hospital. We . . . aren't together anymore, Percy." She ended with a slight sob. Guilt washed over me immediately. 

 

This was my fault. All of this, heartache, tragedy, this was  _my_ doing. Pushing away from her grip, I rolled over and sighed. "I'm sorry I ruin everything for you mom. Maybe if you all just stopped caring for me, all your problems will go away and you can get back with Paul." I murmured quietly. I heard a few gasps of horror as I pulled the breathing mask off my face and began to pull needles and contraptions off my body. At one point Apollo and Annabeth tried to stop me but I hit them away. "Perseus Jackson!" Sally's stern voice was full of fear. "Stop!" She put her hands on mine and struggled to hold them in place. "Let me go, mom!" I snapped, not caring about how rash I was being. I was determined to end this all. She wasn't going to stop me. 

 

"Perseus Achilles Jackson!" She screeched, strengthening her grip around me. "You will  _not_ continue this nonsense. You have a girlfriend, a father, and friends waiting for you. And me, too. I will not allow my only son to kill himself over a ridiculous man who couldn't understand the truth!" She snapped. Mom practically never snapped at me. I stopped struggling and stared at her. New tears started to form in our eyes and we hugged each other, crying. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." I whispered hoarsely, trying to stop the tears from flowing. "I'm being selfish. It just. . .it hurts so much. . .I don't know if I want to carry on anymore, mom. I just don't know." I sobbed, my head on my mother's shoulder as I cried. All the stress, regret, and pain just drained me. 

 

"Percy?" I turned to stare at Apollo. "Hm?" "We're going to try something, okay?" I nodded my head slowly, my eyes closing slowly as the guilt set in my heart. Dying wasn't going to help anyone: it would destroy us all. Just as suddenly as I was wallowing, a pain flared in my arm. My eyes shot open and I stared at Apollo. It was just a needle, but my whole arm felt like it had been shoved and held in a bonfire. Holding back a painful screech, tears filled my eyes. The pain began to spread after that, growing to my shoulder, then my neck, and then to the rest of my body. This time, I couldn't hold back the scream that came out of my mouth. Mom pulled me closer, crying with me. Annabeth's hand rose to her mouth, and silent tears rolled down her cheeks. Apollo looked grim and Poseidon was beyond grief. The sea god's eyes shifted to his nephew. "Apollo, what is going on? I thought you said this would help him." His tone was deafeningly calm; almost passive aggressive. "In all honesty? The poison has spread everywhere. The serum was going to isolate the poison and drive it out of his body. However, as you can see, it was unsuccessful. This is the strongest stuff I had. I am sorry, Poseidon and Sally, Annabeth, but even I cannot preform the miracle needed to keep Percy alive. He is dying." 


End file.
